F150 longevity

[MTGomer]

Just listing my experience thus far with a 2013 Ford F150 STX with the 5.0 liter V8

With the exception of a warranteed water pump at about 15k miles this truck never had an issue except for minor things such as ball joints until Sept 2020 at 150k miles the 8th cylinder was reading low compression. Upon closer inspection, it had failed.

Instead of enduring a rebuild that would be nearly as costly, I just bought a new remanufactured engine.

Yesterday at 189k the transmission went out.

I would buy a new truck, but I just can’t get past the price.
I bought it this truck new for $27,800. The same one new now is $20k more. The truck I want is in the mid 60s.

So new transmission it is.

I’ve been pretty hard on this truck. Up until last October when I bought a 21 year old lifted 2 door Jeep, I took it every god awful ridiculous place I wanted to go. It’s been used like a truck.
That said, I’m still disappointed with the longevity.
These trucks, particularly the 5.0 are known to last. Mine has not. It’s been maintained exactly how it should. Regular oil changes, all fluids serviced when recommended etc.

When I lived in Montana, we had company trucks of the same kind pushing 300k with nothing but oil changed and regular maintenance.

Just bad luck for me I guess.

Just putting this out there for others to read. Interested in hearing how your trucks have lasted. Particularly this generation of 5.0 F-150s

 

[MT Bound]

Sorry to hear your luck, bad timing for sure right now.

I'm still driving a 2002 Silverado with 327k miles, keep telling myself "1 more year" and as each year passes I just keep fixing and driving it until it gets to the point of something that will be too big to go any further....

 

[HUNT TALK MAN]

FORD- FIX IT AGAIN TONY!!!

 

[DouglasR]

Sorry to hear about your luck.
What’s the estimate on the new transmission?

 

[MTGomer]

Sorry to hear about your luck.
What’s the estimate on the new transmission?

$4495 all in. labor, tow and all the computer stuff etc

 

[shannerdrake]

My experience with F-150s has been similar. You have definitely sparked a match in some dry grass with this post. I'm in early and along for the ride.

My experience with F-150s has been so bad that I personally will never own another one. I realize it's roulette, but Ford lost me with knowing of certain problems (such as timing chain stretch on the early Ecoboosts) and doing nothing about it. For example, somewhere around 25% of the all the first gen 3.5 Ecoboosts experience severe timing chain stretch within their first 100,000 miles. You mean to tell me that a 25% failure rate of an engine doesn't justify a recall???

Also, I'm predicting a "buy a Tundra" post within the first 10 replies.

 

[MTGomer]

My experience with F-150s has been similar. You have definitely sparked a match in some dry grass with this post. I'm in early and along for the ride.

My experience with F-150s has been so bad that I personally will never own another one. I realize it's roulette, but Ford lost me with knowing of certain problems (such as timing chain stretch on the early Ecoboosts) and doing nothing about it. For example, somewhere around 25% of the all the first gen 3.5 Ecoboosts experience severe timing chain stretch within their first 100,000 miles. You mean to tell me that a 25% failure rate of an engine doesn't justify a recall???

Also, I'm predicting a "buy a Tundra" post within the first 10 replies.

A 2013 Tundra would have been a good buy and is probably what I should have done.
Seems to be mixed thoughts on the newer ones.

 

[shannerdrake]

Just listing my experience thus far with a 2013 Ford F150 STX with the 5.0 liter V8

With the exception of a warranteed water pump at about 15k miles this truck never had an issue except for minor things such as ball joints until Sept 2020 at 150k miles the 8th cylinder was reading low compression. Upon closer inspection, it had failed.

Instead of enduring a rebuild that would be nearly as costly, I just bought a new remanufactured engine.

Yesterday at 189k the transmission went out.

I would buy a new truck, but I just can’t get past the price.
I bought it this truck new for $27,800. The same one new now is $20k more. The truck I want is in the mid 60s.

So new transmission it is.

I’ve been pretty hard on this truck. Up until last October when I bought a 21 year old lifted 2 door Jeep, I took it every god awful ridiculous place I wanted to go. It’s been used like a truck.
That said, I’m still disappointed with the longevity.
These trucks, particularly the 5.0 are known to last. Mine has not. It’s been maintained exactly how it should. Regular oil changes, all fluids serviced when recommended etc.

When I lived in Montana, we had company trucks of the same kind pushing 300k with nothing but oil changed and regular maintenance.

Just bad luck for me I guess.

Just putting this out there for others to read. Interested in hearing how your trucks have lasted. Particularly this generation of 5.0 F-150s

BTW, my 2017 5.0 with the 6 speed dumped the tranny before 100,000 and never towed anything heavier than 4,000lbs and honest to God had under 1,000 total towing miles.

My 2013 Ecoboost dumped the timing chain at 90k.

I bought my 2013 new off the lot (drove it to 108,000) and my 2017 had 51,000 (drove it to 64,000) when I bought it. I had over $10,000 in out of warranty repairs on both and that DOES NOT include the $8,000 transmission that I didn't put in my 2017.

 

[Gellar]

Riding dirty with my 2004! Reverse did go out on the tranny, I was able to fix the reverse band vs getting a whole new tranny. significantly cheaper. A new bed may be in order for mine, the bed is 3 pieces but the sides are starting to sag out and I have to pull them together with a ratchet strap in order to latch the tailgate.

 

[DouglasR]

$4495 all in. labor, tow and all the computer stuff etc

That sucks.
you ever think about getting like the cheapest new car possible and parking the truck and only using it when required?

 

[WNC2500]

Had a 2014 F-150 V8, and wrongly decided to get the new body style the next year. Bought the new F-150 Ecoboost and within 24,000 miles the engine blew up. Ford did well and warrantied everything, but I went from being a huge supporter to Ford, to now currently own a GMC diesel. I experienced your pain too, but at much earlier mileage.

 

[MTGomer]

That sucks.
you ever think about getting like the cheapest new car possible and parking the truck and only using it when required?

Unfortunately i rarely do something where I take it but don’t actually need it these days.
My office job is from home and my side job is land surveying, which I use it for. That’s where a lot of the miles come from. Several of the bigger projects I’ve been working on for a few years are 3-4 hours away.

Need it for any hobby I have unless I can take the Jeep.

I do occasionally drive it to a work meeting or something like that if my wife isn’t home and I can’t take her car.

 

[Brandon270]

That's a tough deal, I'm not looking forward to the day my 05 Silverado isn't worth keeping around. I've gone back and forth with what I'd replace it with but most of the newer models from all brands sound like you can spend a lot of time in the shop.

I don't have any personal experience with f150s, but I've dealt with enough fleet f250s and f350s that I wasn't too impressed.

 

[Southern Elk]

I would throw the new transmission in it too and keep rolling. New truck prices make me sick. So does $5.00 diesel. I can’t stomach filling up my duramax anymore.

 

[brocksw]

A 2013 Tundra would have been a good buy and is probably what I should have done.
Seems to be mixed thoughts on the newer ones.

2012 Tundra here, still going strong but only 120k on it. Just be thankful you're not one of the guys that dropped 75k on a Raptor and had Tranny problems at 40k.

I'll be the first to say it #shouldaboughtatoyota

 

[BlakeA]

I have a 2011 5.0 FX4 with 150k on it. Paid 26k cash for it in 2014 with under 25k miles on it. Like you, I have taken it everywhere and at times been pretty rough on it. Luckily, I have only had a few sensors go out besides normal maintenance. I plan on driving it until it becomes a total P.O.S. I guess I have been fairly lucky so far but it has been a great truck for me. If I was in your shoes and who knows, I may be sometime soon, I would have no problem paying 5k for a new tranny. I want nothing to do with the new shit.

 

[MNElkNut]

I have had a 2016 and a 2021 F150. Both Ecoboosts. Bulletproof. Not a problem with either.

On the other side of the Tundra debate is the difference in mileage would pay for your new tranny and more. The difference is mileage is a given. Repairs on any vehicle are unknown.

 

[Stone_Ice_1]

I have a 2013 F-150 Ecoboost with 130K and have had minimal problems with it. Had a cracked manifold last summer and that is it. Haven't had any problems with the engine. My brother bought the 2013 F-150 with the V8 in it because he was scared of getting the ecoboost. He had nothing but problems with the engine, it eventually crapped out on him right after the warranty expired. Ford still honored the warranty a bit by paying for half the new engine cost. Shortly after he got the new engine in he started having some issues and got rid of the thing. He now has a newer ecoboost. Fingers crossed I get another 7 years or so out of mine without too major of problems, vehicles are just money pits and I don't want a new one.

One thing about the ecoboost is it is meant to be driven hard occasionally. If you baby it all the time and drive like an 80 year old grandpa you will have problems with carbon build up in the engine.

 

[brocksw]

All the people these days spending $20-40k to upgrade their 5 yr old truck to "save money" on gas mileage. #dothemathpeople

 

[Beignet]

I would’ve paid to keep the existing truck going as well. Hope the replaced engine and trans hold up for you. Most of these newer trucks are approaching/surpassing luxury vehicle prices. Not to mention all the fancy electronic doodads they have (which look expensive to replace).